Slacker doesn't even begin to describe it. I am surprised I even remembered how to sign on to this thing...lol. I just felt like I shouldn't let the New Year slide by without a little something. It may be random and the only one this year, but here it goes anyway..
So far, 2011 has started off great!! We just got back from an amazing trip to Hawaii. It really is a beautiful place to visit and I am thankful we had the opportunity to go. Still a little far for my liking, but I am going to say it was worth it :-). I took a walk one morning to have a little quite time to myself. I ended up sitting on a beautiful rocky shore watching the waves crash. I was thinking back on the year, and it was a little hard to wrap my head around the fact that at the same time last year I was half way around the world.... the other way... in Africa!! Talk about two totally different places! I did have one neat thing happen... I saw a beautiful rainbow in both places on January 2nd. Some may remember that story from the Uganda portion of our trip, but it was a neat little blessing and when I got home and realized my Hawaii rainbow was the same day it made me smile. Kind of makes me curious where I will be next January 2nd and if I will see another one???
Anyway, of course, with thoughts of Africa were also thoughts of my sweet Freyhiwot and the P61 team that is in Africa right now. In just a few hours they will be celebrating Christmas with the kids at the boarding school. I am sure there will be lots of smiles and laughter to go around! It is still hard for me to believe that it was only a year ago that we were in the dump celebrating Christmas and it all began. Sumer and her family are now in Ethiopia, P61 is growing strong, and 250 kiddos are out of the dump and have had their lives forever changed!!! God is so good!!
Some have asked me about going back to Africa. Don't judge me...lol, but I am going to be totally honest and say that it took me at least 6 months for that thought to even cross my mind (air travel is not my favorite thing folks). There are days that I think that maybe I do want to go back, especially to see Freyhiwot and meet Netsanet (the 2 girls we sponsor) and days when I think...maybe not. There are so many who really do have a huge heart for Africa - many have already been back multiple times and I must say that I admire them so much!!! I struggled with guilt when we got back because I didn't have another trip planned. I did think briefly about a few trips, but soon realized I was doing it for all the wrong reasons. I was a little disappointed that I didn't have some huge insight or revelation. So many have come back and known exactly what to do...me, not so much. With time and prayers, I have come to realize that God loves me just the same and he calls us all to do different things at different times. Maybe God was seeing if I would listen and obey the 1st time, maybe it was just to help get Freyhiwot out of the dump, or maybe it was to stretch me completely and trust him?? I am still not real sure why he wanted me in Africa last year, but I know he did and for whatever reason...I am thankful. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget. As for the future..I don't know?? I do know that I will be praying for and supporting those in Africa and those that travel all over to be the hands and feet. I also know that I want continue to seek his will for ME.
Since one of my last posts was about our day in the dump (Jan. 7th 2010), I find it only fitting to leave you with a few pics from friends of the beautiful boarding school where the kids are now. The smiles on those girls faces pretty much says it all. Happy New Year friends (or Merry Christmas if you are in Africa)!!
